The present invention relates generally to an improved wall panel clip to be placed in slotted vertical uprights to secure a removable panel to the upright and more particularly to an improved wall panel clip which resists unintended loosening or removal from the slotted vertical upright during use.
The use of temporary partitions, display structures and the like in merchandising display applications is increasing because of the economy and versatility of being able to quickly remove a partition or structure to serve a particular temporary purpose and to disassemble the structure for storage or use for another purpose. Typically, these wall partitions are assembled from various sized structural members to which a variety of different sized panels may be attached to serve as full wall partitions or single dividers in a smaller structure. The structural members include slotted uprights of a general square hollow configuration. A plurality of small rectangular slots extend vertically along one or more of the surfaces of the uprights. The slots are designed to receive various mounting members to support display bins or the like and small clips that serve to hold a panel against the upright. The size of the panels may range from small partitions to complete walls. The panels may be manufactured from a variety of materials including plastic, metal or wood.
Of the numerous types of prior art clips available, a common disadvantage is their tendency to continuously loosen during use, particularly when the panels are subjected to external forces, pressures, or vibrations typically encountered in retail merchandising aplications that necessarily cause movement of the panel. The larger or heavier the panels are, the more quickly the clips loosen, thereby disrupting the utility of the panel and requiring frequent replacement of the panel clips. Prior art panel clip devices typically have notches of a constant width, or the notches are widest at the opening thereof, which causes the clip to loosen in response to panel movement.
Therefore, there exists a substantial need in the merchandising display art for a wall panel clip that is inexpensive and that will reliably secure different sized panels to uprights without loosening as the panel is subjected to external pressures or vibrations caused by continuous interaction of consumer shoppers.